Windows 7 Windows 7 not consistently recognizing optical drives and external HD

[afwm1985]

Okay I have been having this problem for the past two months or so where my BIOS and/or Windows 7 is only sporadically recognizing my two optical drives and my external HD. I can't seem to find a fix!

First, here are my specs:

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate
CPU: AMD Athlon II X3 445
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-770T-USB3
RAM: 8GB (4 x 2GB) ADATA DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Model AD3U1333B2G9-DRH
Video Card: Palit GeForce GT 240 512MB GDDR5 Model NE5T2400FHD51
HD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB Model WD5000AAKS
External HD: Seagate Expansion External Drive 1TB USB 2.0 Model ST310005EXA101-RK
Optical Drive #1: Lite-On iHES208 Internal Blu-ray Reader & DVD/CD Writer
Optical Drive #2: Lite-On iHBS112 Internal Blu-ray Writer
PS: Corsair Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W

First, the external HD. When I boot, the detecting storage devices screen will always detect my internal HD, but it only detects the Seagate about 10% of the time. So, for instance, when I try to boot Ubuntu from the Seagate, most of the time it hasn't been detected as a boot option. However, once I get into Windows, I can always access the Seagate. I am fairly certain the issue is not with the Seagate because my laptop always recognizes it. I also tried extending the time for detecting storage devices in the BIOS, thinking maybe it just needed more time to get picked up, but that had no effect. Not sure if this is a BIOS or Windows issue.

Now, the optical drives. My computer now almost never detects the iHES208, and usually does detect the iHBS112. However, for some reason if I try to boot a ISO from the iHBS112 it just boots Windows. Also, when I try to burn it doesn't work. I bring up CDBurnerXP and it has both drives in the drop-down, but no matter which drive I select CDBurnerXP says I need to insert a blank disc even though there is one in it. Tried it with both drives. But if I put a install disc for some program into the iHBS112, for instance, it will read/install whatever's on the disc just fine.

When I first built the computer back in January, it recognized everything just fine. I'm not sure what set off the problems. Any thoughts!? Even just on how to figure out what the problem is?

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are facing some issues with the recognition of your optical drives and external hard drive on your Windows 7 system. Here are some steps and considerations you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve these problems:

Troubleshooting Steps:​

1. Update Device Drivers:
   • Make sure that your motherboard chipset drivers and SATA/IDE controller drivers are up to date. You can download and install the latest drivers from the Gigabyte website for your specific motherboard model.
   []Check Device Manager:
   • Open Device Manager in Windows to see if there are any warnings or errors related to your optical drives and external hard drive. Right-click on the problematic devices and select "Update driver" or "Uninstall device" followed by a restart to let Windows reinstall the drivers.
   []BIOS Settings:
   • Check the BIOS settings to ensure that the SATA ports to which your drives are connected are enabled and properly configured. You can also try resetting the BIOS settings to default.
   []Check SATA Cables and Connections:
   • Ensure that the SATA cables connecting your drives are securely plugged in at both ends (motherboard and drive). Try using different SATA cables to rule out any cable issues.
   []Power Supply Consideration:
   • Check the power connections to your optical drives. The power supply might not be providing enough power to all components. Ensure that the power connectors are seated correctly and consider trying a different power connector.
   []Firmware Updates:
   • Check for firmware updates for your optical drives. Sometimes, updating the firmware can resolve compatibility issues and improve performance.
   []Boot Priority in BIOS:
   • Verify that the boot priority in BIOS is correctly set to ensure the system boots from the desired device.
   []Testing on Another System:
   • If possible, try connecting your drives to another system to see if they are recognized without any issues. This can help determine if the problem is with the drives themselves or with your system configuration.
   []Software Conflicts:
   • Check if any recently installed software or updates might be causing conflicts with device recognition. Consider uninstalling any recently installed programs to see if it resolves the issue.

     Additional Considerations:​

     • Since your laptop can recognize the external hard drive without issues, it's possible that the problem lies with the desktop system itself.
     • Given that the issue appeared after a period of successful operation, it may be related to a recent software update, driver installation, or hardware change.
     • Your system specifications suggest that it should be able to handle these devices without any issues. However, intermittent problems can sometimes be challenging to diagnose.
     By following the above steps, you should be able to isolate the cause of the recognition issues with your optical drives and external hard drive. If the problems persist, further troubleshooting or assistance from a professional technician may be necessary.